What a Friend Will Do
by Ginger S
Summary: What happens when Johnny puts others first.


It had been a long day for the paramedics of LA County Fire Department's Station 51, a very long day. Completing a total of 15 runs finishing with the last run ending badly; all members of the paramedic family of the department hated to end a shift with a bad run. Sometimes these things just happened. Johnny backed the squad into the bay and looked over at his partner, "You okay?"

"Yeah, that was tough. I'm glad this shift is over, but I wish it could have ended differently."

"Well you know we did all we could," Johnny tried to encourage his friend.

"I guess we did, but sometimes I wonder if I missed something or how we could have handled things differently and maybe just maybe we could have saved another life."

"I know what you mean, but then I think about all the lives we did save. We know our jobs. We have been trained with proper procedures. We did all that we could have, and the doctors did too. This time it was just not meant to be. That's all," Johnny smiled at his partner, but it did not quite reach his expressive eyes. Turning to get out of the squad he suddenly was overcome by a very harsh coughing spasm.

"Johnny, you sure you are okay?"

"Yeah, nothing a day off will not cure. I just took in a little smoke on that run."

"Maybe you should have been checked out at Rampart."

"Nah, now you are beginning to sound like Roy."

"Well at least he will be back from vacation in a couple of shifts. I know you will be glad to have your real partner back," Dwyer smiled at his friend and patted him on the shoulder. "Take care of that cough Johnny. I'll see ya next shift. I'm gonna grab a shower before I settle in for my next 24. I hate working a double."

"Yeah Dwyer, take it easy. See ya."

"Guess you have Brice next shift. Good luck," Dwyer said as he got out of the squad and headed towards the locker room laughing at the prospect of Johnny working with Craig Bryce, the walking rule book.

"I'll need it," Johnny said as he pulled his gear out of the squad to store it until next shift.

Captain Stanley was the only member of Johnny's shift still at the station. Hearing the paramedics talking he came out of the office to see how the last run went. "Hey John everything okay?"

"Sure Cap," Johnny said just as he was again plagued with a coughing spasm.

"You don't sound so good there John. Did you get checked out at Rampart?"

"No sir. It was a mad house over there. If I don't get better in an hour or so I'll go back over there and get checked."

"See that you do John. How is the patient?" Captain Stanley wished he had not asked the last question as soon as he saw the way his friend looked at the moment he had.

"She…..um she didn't make it Cap," Johnny said as he looked at his feet and ran his hand through his hair. "It was bad Cap. Her parents….they were…it…it was bad." Johnny was again overcome by strangling cough.

"Sorry to hear that John, you sure you are alright?" Stanley patted his friend on the shoulder offering his support.

"Yes sir. I'm good," he said clearing his throat.

"Well I guess I will see you next shift. You know if you need to talk." Gripping Johnny's shoulder in a final show of support Captain Stanley turned to walk back to the office.

"Thanks Cap," Johnny said as he headed to the locker room to gather his things from his locker.

Johnny had been house sitting for Roy while he, Joanne and the kids were away on vacation. He wanted to get back to Roy's house and clean up some things. He also planned to get the lawn mowed and the edging done for his best friend. Stopping at the market on the way to the Desoto home, Johnny purchased flowers for Joanne and gifts for Chris and Jenny. Roy was getting the yard done, so no gift was necessary for him. Johnny expected his friend's home by 8 pm. He hoped to be finished with the chores and have everything waiting on them when they arrived. He also wanted to pack up his things and be at his own apartment and in bed by then.

Pulling up in front of the Desoto home he realized just how tired he was. Knowing he did not have time for a nap this morning if he hoped to accomplish all of the things he wanted to do Johnny forced himself to get to work. Overcome by yet more coughing he dug through the grocery bag to find the cough medicine that he had picked up at the market hoping it would help sooth his scratchy throat. He put away the rest of the groceries, put the flowers in a vase and headed out back to start the yard work. It was warm on this late summer morning, and he wanted to get finished outside before it got too hot.

Several hours later the lawn looking good, Johnny headed back into the house for a quick shower and the chores he needed to do inside. He needed to have some lunch too. If he had not had so much on his mind today he would have thought it odd that he was not the least bit hungry after working so hard on the lawn. Feeling the scratchiness return in his throat he took another dose of the cough syrup before getting into the shower.

After completing the house work he took the flowers and gifts for the kids into the great room and placed them on the coffee table along with a note welcoming them home. Then he sat down on the sofa. Just for a minute to rest before going home. His things were piled by the front door waiting to be loaded in the Rover. It was 7 pm and he was tired, by now he was more than tired, he was exhausted. Thinking maybe if he just sat down for a few minutes, he would be okay to drive home Johnny relaxed against the back of the sofa. Before he knew it he was lying down and fell into a restless sleep. His throat was really hurting now and he had a bad headache. He was achy, but he attributed that to the hard shift and long day without a nap. The coughing had only gotten worse.

An hour later as planned the Desoto family pulled into the garage. The kids had fallen asleep during the drive. Roy and Joanne came in the back door each carrying one of their children. Roy glanced over at the couch and saw his best friend sleeping. "He must have fallen asleep waiting for us to get home Jo. Let's get the kids up to bed. Then I'll wake sleeping beauty and send him home."

Roy settled his son into bed tucking him in and kissing on the top of his head. The he went across the hall to Jennifer's room to see if Joanne needed any help getting her into bed. Kissing his daughter the same way he had done his son, Roy headed downstairs to wake Johnny. Stopping to read the note on the table he discovered that his friend had done all of chores that they would have needed to do tomorrow allowing them one more day of rest before the kids started school on Monday. Smiling down at the sleeping man Roy was thankful for such a good friend. Johnny stirred on the couch and coughed deeply. Hearing the cough and subsequent wheezing that followed Roy became concerned about his friend, going into paramedic mode Roy took his friend's wrist to check his pulse. He noticed the warmth of Johnny's skin and felt his forehead to check for a temperature. Looking over at his friend he noticed the man's expressive brown eyes had opened and he was now looking back at Roy.

"Hey Roy I must have fallen asleep. Sorry, I meant to be out of your way when you got home. Just give me a minute to get my stuff and I'll take off." Trying to sit up Johnny noticed how achy and weak he felt. He was then overcome by yet another coughing spell.

"Johnny you are sick. You are running a fever and that cough sounds really bad. I think you need to just stay here tonight and get into bed."

"No way Roy this is still your vacation. I do not intend to put you guys out with my little cold," he stated with a hoarse raspy voice. He started to get up off of the sofa but was overcome by a dizzy spell. Sitting back down he dropped his head into his hands. "Oh man."

"Junior I am going to turn down your bed and you are going to get in it. I'll be right back with some aspirin for that fever and some cough syrup for that cough. Did you take in some smoke on last shift or did you just pick up a cold somewhere? You are wheezing too."

"Both I guess Roy. I don't feel so good."

"Did you get checked out?"

"No it was a mad house. It was a really bad run. I just needed to get out of there. You Know."

"Okay Johnny. First thing tomorrow if you are still wheezing we are making a trip to Rampart for a breathing treatment."

"Okay Pally, okay."

Roy went to the kitchen for the medicine and a glass of juice for his friend. Joanne had come down stairs too and she smiled at her friend. "Thank you for the beautiful flowers Johnny, and for cleaning my house. I know you cleaned the kid's sheets too. You should have taken it easy today though. I really appreciate what you did, but you need to take better care of yourself."

Not feeling like talking right now Johnny simply smiled at his friend and nodded.

Returning from the kitchen Roy stuck a thermometer under Johnny's tongue and sat the medications and juice on the coffee table. A few minutes later he read the thermometer shaking his head. "102.1 Johnny. You definitely have more than just a little cold. Now take this and let's get you settled."

"Okay Roy, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to mess up your homecoming."

"Forget it Johnny I'm glad to be home and glad that I can hopefully prevent you from getting worse. Now aren't you supposed to be on shift in the morning?"

"Yeah."

"Well I will call you in sick. There is no way you need to be working tomorrow. I'm guessing we will be at Rampart anyway getting you looked at by Dr. Brackett."

"Okay."

Roy helped Johnny down the hall to the spare room where he usually slept when at the Desoto home. "If you need anything just let me know."

Johnny nodded as he curled up under the covers of his bed and drifted to sleep.

Shaking his head at his sleeping partner Roy turned out the light and slipped from the room leaving the door open a crack so he could keep an eye on his friend. Reaching for the phone on the kitchen wall Roy dialed the familiar number of his Captain.

"Hello Stanley residence," Hank Stanley spoke into the telephone.

"Hello Cap."

"Roy, welcome home pal."

"Thanks uh Cap?"

"Something wrong Roy?"

"Well no not with me, but Johnny was here at my place when we got here. He was asleep on the sofa. It looks like he over did it around here today when he should have been resting. He sounds like he may have suffered some smoke inhalation; it has developed into a bad cough and sore throat."

"Yeah it was a bad run early this morning. He and Dwyer lost the patient. She was a young girl. He took it really hard Roy. He said he would go back to Rampart today if the cough did not get better. I guess he did not do that though did he? I should have known better than not make it an order."

"Cap I think it would be best if you could get a replacement for him. I think he should go to Rampart if he is not better by morning. I can come in if you don't find anyone to cover for him."

"Thanks Roy, I would rather you take care of our boy. Let me see if I can find someone to cover for him. I'll let you know."

"Thanks Cap."

Captain Stanley had called Roy back to let him know that the shift was covered and to ask him to let them know how Johnny was after his visit to Rampart. Roy and Joanne had watched a movie on TV while relaxing on the sofa. Now glad to be home, tired and ready for bed they decided it was time to turn in. "I think I will check on Johnny one more time before coming upstairs," Roy told his wife as he kissed her passionately. "I love you Joanne."

"I love you too Roy. See you upstairs."

Roy quietly walked down the hall towards the door to the guest room. He could hear Johnny coughing in his sleep. "Boy Junior will you ever learn to take better care of yourself and stop worrying about every one else first?" Roy said to his friend. Checking Johnny's pulse and respirations and feeling his forehead for fever Roy was satisfied that his friend would be alright until morning.

Some time in the early morning hours Roy was awakened by Johnny's rough coughing. Making his way downstairs he found Johnny in the kitchen getting some juice, aspirin, and cough syrup. "I think I will go get checked out in the morning. I feel terrible."

"You don't sound too good either Junior, we will head over to Rampart around 8. I think Doc Brackett will be in by then."

"Yeah okay Roy that sounds good. I'm going to lie back down for a while."

"Okay Johnny."

Johnny went back to his room and Roy started some coffee. He decided to stay up and watch some news. It was around 5:30 and he knew he would not be able to go back to sleep. He could hear Johnny coughing harshly from where he sat in his recliner. "I sure hope that you have not waited too long for that breathing treatment Johnny. You certainly do not need pneumonia again," he said to the empty room.

The two friends walked through the doors to the emergency department at Rampart to a flurry of activity. There were people everywhere. Dixie McCall directed the movements of her staff like a well orchestrated dance. "Hello boys."

"Hi Dix, what's going on here?" Roy asked.

"MVA with a school bus. Thankfully there does not seem to be any serious injuries, but you know we have to check out every child to be sure. What brings you in today Roy? Aren't you still on vacation today?"

"Yeah, but my friend here seems to have taken in too much smoke yesterday and did not let anyone know that he might need a breathing treatment."

Dixie noticed for the first time that Johnny had not said anything since they had arrived. "Well Johnny Kel will not be very happy about you not reporting an injury even if it was just smoke. Come on into the lounge. We are all out of treatment rooms at the moment. I'll get everything set up for that treatment as soon as I can. We may have to do it in here or Kel's office."

"Office please," coughed Johnny. "I hate an audience."

The two off duty paramedics sat down at the table in the lounge with coffee to wait.

A short time later they heard some very loud yelling outside the lounge door. Jumping from their seats at the table the two men hurried for the door. Outside in the ER there was even more activity surrounding several gurneys being pulled from ambulances, "Roy, Johnny can you give us a hand?" Dixie asked. "We have another multiple MVA coming in. We need help assessing the injuries and getting vitals. Sorry Johnny, I know you are not feeling well. Can you do it?"

"Sure Dixie, no problem," he said as he took the blood pressure cuff and stethoscope from her. "It's just a cough and sore throat. We'll take care of it later."

Roy just shook his head at his friend's ability to brush off his own injuries or sickness to put others ahead of himself, Johnny you let me know if you can't do this or if you feel worse. Okay?"

Johnny simply shot Roy a look letting him know that he would be fine, however, fine to Johnny had a very different definition than fine to anyone else. Johnny would not let anyone know how bad he felt until he collapsed on the floor unable to speak. Roy chuckled and shook his head in amazement at his friend.

Several hours later an exhausted group settled into the doctor's lounge to get a much needed cup of coffee. Roy noticed that Johnny had stopped trying to talk at all. "Johnny?"

"What?" he could barely get the words out of his very sore throat.

"What is wrong with you Gage?" Brackett asked.

"Oh my goodness Johnny I totally forgot you came in here sick this morning. Kel he took in some smoke yesterday and needs a breathing treatment, but he may need more than that now. Come on Johnny let's get you into a treatment room." Dixie grabbed him by the arm and led him from the room. He was too tired and felt too bad now to argue.

Dr. Joe Early saw Dixie lead Johnny into treatment 3 and followed them in. "What's up?" he asked the pair.

"Johnny hear came in several hours ago with a cough from taking in too much smoke yesterday and needs a breathing treatment, but he got tied up helping us with our multiple MVA's," she said as she shook her head and smiled at the paramedic. "Now I am afraid he may need more than that treatment."

"Well Johnny thank you for the assistance. Let me take a listen to your lungs here," Joe also smiled at his friend.

Just as they began to assess Johnny's condition there was yet another ruckus outside the treatment room door. Without hesitation Johnny jumped from the table and pushed his way to the door. Opening it he saw Roy and Dr. Brackett struggling to gain control of a very big man with a knife. Johnny leaped into the fray. After quite a bit of wrestling the three medical professionals were able to subdue the man thanks to a very strong sedative administered by Dr. Brackett. Roy and Brackett with the help of some orderlies lifted the man onto a gurney and he was moved into a treatment room. It took a few minutes before anyone realized that Johnny had not gotten up from the floor. Roy knelt beside his friend and looked him over. Noticing that Johnny held his hand on his side Roy could see blood seeping between his fingers. "Doc I think we need some help over here. Johnny seems to have gotten friendly with that knife."

"Get me a gurney over here, Dixie get x-ray." Dixie came out of the treatment room and passed several pressure bandages to Roy. "Johnny we've got you buddy. Are you hurt anywhere else?" Brackett took charge of the situation in his head of emergency manner.

Johnny shook his head in response. He could feel himself being lifted onto the gurney and watched the lights whizz by as he was once again taken into treatment room 3.

Several tests later and a bunch of stitches, Johnny was settled into a room for observation. He was finally getting the breathing treatment that he had originally come in for only now he also had an IV and blood transfusion. He was hooked to several monitors for blood oxygen level, blood pressure, etc. A simple sore throat and cough had turned into a major ordeal and hospital stay.

Roy sat beside his friend's bed as was his usual position when Johnny was hurt or ill and forced to stay at Hotel Rampart. "Johnny, why do you ignore your own health and always put others before yourself?"

The groggy patient smiled at his friend. He slipped the oxygen mask from his face and said in a very raspy whisper, "S'what friends do."


End file.
